Skyscraper
by BreannaMalfoy
Summary: When Hermione returns to home after the war and restores her parents' memories, she finds that her dad isn't the same. She returns to Hogwarts and let's just say a certain blonde takes an interest in her. My first fanfic, so please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**Skyscraper**

**Ch. 1**

Hermione Granger sat on her bed, her back against the headboard and her knees tucked into her chest. The war was over, and she had returned home to try to make her parents remember her. It took a long time, but after countless photo albums, family videos, and stories, Jean Granger looked up at her, blinking away the tears in her eyes. She remembered, and was so relieved to have her daughter back, knowing she was out of harm's way. Her father, not so much.

Dan Granger hadn't taken the news of his daughter wiping away the memories of he and his wife. He remembered the questions and confused looks they received when they had to remind their friends and family that no, they did not, in fact, have a daughter. But now this 18 year old girl was telling them otherwise, and not just that, but she did so to keep them safe from some evil wizard? She was a witch? He looked at her like a freak, and Hermione know that her loving relationship with her dad was lost forever.

She closed her eyes and squeezed her arms around her legs as she heard the front door slam downstairs. Her father was home. She looked at her alarm clock; 1:30 AM. He was home early tonight. He spent most of his nights out at the pub, coming home drunk every time and never before 2. He lost his job at the dentist office due to his excessive drinking, but blamed it on Hermione. She tried not to let him get to her, but it wasn't easy. Her mother was working twice as much to make enough money to keep their house and feed her husband's addiction. Hermione hated how much her mother worked for him. The sound of heavy boots clunking up the stairs got louder and louder, and Hermione tried to figure out where he was headed, although she already knew. Her heard sank into her stomach when she heard the steps stop. She knew where he was. She opened her eyes to see the doorknob turn and the door flew open.

The silhouette of a tall man stood in her doorway, a bottle of some alcohol Hermione was becoming unfortunately familiar with clenched in his fist. "I need to have a little talk with you," he bellowed, and she knew they wouldn't really be talking.

Hermione closed her eyes, and braced herself. She felt a strong hand grab her arm making the already visible bruised even worse. Her father yanked her up from her bed, put the bottle on her bedside table, and threw her to the ground. She let out a little scream when his foot made contact with her leg. "Be quiet!" Another smack across her face. She could hear him light a cigarette, and she rolled onto her back. She knew what was coming next.

He grabbed her by her shirt and pulled her onto the bed. She lay face down, tears running down her cheeks. He pulled her shirt up, took a drag of his cigarette, and pressed it to her lower back. He covered her mouth as she let out a scream. The hot little ember pressed into her lower back, burning a small spot next to the rest of her scars. "There, you want to do your little magic tricks so bad? Maybe this will teach you otherwise." He pushed himself off of her and picked up his bottle. "Now go to sleep, you little bitch."

Hermione lay crying on her bed, still on her stomach as her dad left the room, slamming the door. _How did this happen?_ She asked herself. _We used to be so close, and now...now I'm his worst enemy. His biggest mistake._

She got up and walked over to her mirror, making sure to be as silent as possible. She pulled up her shirt and looked at the word burned onto her back. _**HAG**_. The word was a reminder that she wasn't normal. She wasn't the daughter that he wanted. She was different, and he would never except someone like _her_ into his family. She had tried to remove the scars with magic, but nothing she tried worked. She couldn't understand it. She laid down on her bed, pulled the covers over her, and drifted to sleep, her cheeks stained by her tears.

The next morning Hermione woke early to the sound of tapping on her window. She jumped out of bed and opened it to let the brown barn owl fly into her room. It dropped a copy of The Daily Prophet and three letters onto her bed. She fed it an owl treat and told it to be quiet. She stood silent for a moment, listening. No noise. Good, that meant that her dad was still asleep. It was 8:45, so her mom had already left for work. She sat down on her bed and picked up the letters. One was written in sloppy scribbles, obviously from Ron and Harry. The other, neatly addressed to her from her best friend Ginny. Hermione smiled at thought of her friends. Even though things hadn't worked out with Ron after the war, she still loved him like a brother. That was all they were meant to be, and he knew it too. She set the two letters aside and picked up her ever familiar Hogwarts letter.

She had decided to go back and finish her education, as she wasn't sure yet what she wanted to do. Harry and Ron had been offered jobs at the Ministry of Magic in the Auror Department. Ginny was entering her seventh year, though, so at lease she would have someone to hang out with. She opened the letter and read the first few lines without really reading them, since she already knew them. Then, something new. She had to read it four times before she understood it. _"As the new Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I am pleased to inform you that you have been chosen as this year's Head Girl." _She couldn't believe it, Head Girl! Harry and Ron always teased her about her studying all the time, saying that there wouldn't be a competition for the position, but she still couldn't believe it.

She opened up Ginny's and the boys' letters and quickly replied to them, making sure to emphasize that she was Head Girl. She addressed the letters to the Burrow, since Harry was living with the Weasleys now. The brown owl took them and left.

Hermione sat on her bed, reading her letter again when she heard movement in the hallway. She quickly threw all signs of the wizarding world under her bed, got under the covers, and closed her eyes. She heard him head down the stairs and out the door. She didn't know where he was going, but she didn't care. She was leaving. Today.

She pulled her trunk out of her closet, which was already packed with everything she needed. She got dressed quickly, put her iPod, laptop, books, and the bottle of water on her nightstand into a bag and walked out the door. She made sure she grabbed the picture of her and her mom on her first day of kindergarten and tucked it into her pocket. She looked around the house, knowing she wasn't coming back for a long time. She had left a letter for her mother on her pillow, knowing that she would understand her reason for leaving. She promised to write or call as much as possible. And with that, she apparated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Harry Potter.**

Hermione caught her balance in an alley. She walked out onto dull London street, looking up at the muggle record store next to her destination. She walked across the street and pulled open the heavy door that nobody ever seemed to notice. The Leaky Cauldron was gloomy as always. A few witches and wizards were seated at the bar, chatting quietly. Hermione walked up to the Tom, the innkeeper, standing at the bar.

"Miss Granger! Always a pleasure! How are you my dear?" Tom greeted the young war hero with a smile while he wiped a glass clean.

She and Tom talked for a few minutes, mostly Tom asking her about the battle at Hogwarts and how Harry was. Hermione didn't mind all the attention. She kind of liked it. It reminded her that she really was worth something. She eventually got a key to her room and headed upstairs.

The room was what Tom called "the nicest we have to offer", and by The Leaky Cauldron's standards, it was. The king sized bed was to the left, with silky black sheets and a thick black comforter. The door on the right was opened to the bathroom, which was equipped with a small stand up shower, a toilet, and a sink. Most rooms didn't even have a bathroom, so Hermione was grateful.

A piano was pushed up against the wall next to the window, which had a nice view of Diagon Alley, and Hermione walked over to it. She hadn't played the piano since she was at Grimmauld Place with Harry and Ron. She remembered trying to teach Ron how to play simple songs, and smiled to herself, because he was truly horrible at it. She opened the window to let in some fresh air and sat down on the bench. She had taken lessons since she was 6, and she really loved to play. When she touched her fingers to the keys, and shock wave of emotions came over her. She closed her eyes, thinking of the past summer she had just endured, and started to play. She didn't know what she was playing, but her hands moved gracefully over the black and and off white keys. The piano sounded surprisingly well for how old and unattended to it must have been. It wasn't until she began to sing softly that she recognized the song.

"You can take everything I have

You can break everything I am

Like I'm made of glass

Like I'm made of paper.

Go on and try to tear me down

I will be rising from the ground

Like a skyscraper."

Hermione had downloaded the song weeks ago after she came home and listened to it a few times. She didn't know, though, that she could play it. She had never tried. It was as though the song had stuck in her subconscious, only breaking through now. She stopped playing suddenly and started to cry. She thought of her dad, and how much he tried to tear her down. She stood up from the piano and walked over to her bed. She couldn't stop thinking about the abuse she had gone through all summer. When she laid down she glanced out the window. The sun was setting, and she was tired. She had no idea where the time had gone, but didn't care. She closed her eyes and drifted off quickly.

She was walking down a long hallway, with doors on either side of her. She opened one of the doors. There was a bright light, with the silhouette of a tall man standing there. She closed the door and start to run. She kept running like she had never run before, and then she hit someone. A tall man wearing black robes turned to look down at her, laying on the floor. She couldn't see his face, but she could tell that he had blonde hair. He held out a hand to her, and she took it. He lifted her up to her feet, placed a hand on her shoulder, and disappeared.

Hermione sat up in her bed, trying to catch her breath. She was sweating, and she could feel tears on her cheeks. She got out of bed and walked over to the bathroom, switched on the light, and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked terrible. Her hair was everywhere and her eyes were red and puffy. She turned on the cold water and splashed it on her face. _What was up with that dream? _She asked herself.

She turned off the light and walked back to her bed and sat down. She pulled the comforter back to the foot of the bed and got under only a sheet. The room was hot and humid, and she knew she wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon. She turned on the light next to her bed and picked up the copy of Witch Weekly on her nightstand. She flipped through the pages aimlessly and fell asleep before the got half way through.

After a dreamless slumber, Hermione woke to a cool breeze hitting her face from the open window. Outside, the rainy weather seemed to reflect her mood. She was still thinking about her dream last night. It seemed so real. She pushed it out of her mind and got up, looking at her watch. It was already 11:00, and she needed to get her books, since school starts in two days.

She got up, took a shower, and dressed in a pair of denim capris, a short sleeved, pink fitted t-shirt, and a thin zip up gray hoodie. She put on just enough make-up to compliment her eyes and threw her hair up into a messy bun. She grabbed her money and her iPod and was out the door. She put her headphones in and turned on her music, hoping she wouldn't run into anyone she knew. She just wanted to get her shopping done and go back to her room. Suddenly, Hermione Granger didn't want to be bothered by anybody, especially anyone who would ask her about her summer.

Her shopping we by easily, buying her books and robes without having to talk to anyone she didn't have to. She was on her way back to the Leaky Cauldron when she noticed a new restaurant. It was a small bistro style, and she really was hungry. She walked in and set her packages down on a table in a corner, then went up to the counter to order. She was humming along quietly to a Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain", looking up at the menu, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Ginny, smiling at her. Hermione took out her headphones and hugged her friend. "Oh my gosh! Ginny! I've missed you so much!"

"I know, I've missed you too! How are you? How come you didn't tell me you were shopping today?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, I must have forgotten to tell you. I really didn't plan on seeing anyone today, I was just going to get my shopping done and get going," said Hermione, hoping she wouldn't find out she was staying at The Leaky Cauldron. She knew the Weasleys would never allow that, but she had no intention on going to The Burrow. She needed some time alone.

"Well, come on, let's have lunch together. Harry and Ron are at home, I just came alone today. It's so weird that they're not going back this year." Ginny had a sad look on her face, which Hermione knew was because she hated that Harry wasn't going to be there this year. Harry and Ginny's relationship had taken off quickly, and Hermione knew that since they hadn't spent much time apart that it was going to be rough on her friend.

The girls ate lunch and caught up. Hermione made sure not to mention her dad, as she wasn't ready for anyone to know. She lied about her parents both working at the office still. It was best to let Ginny think that everything was okay, because if she caught on, she wouldn't let it go. Hermione was good at lying, or bending the truth, as she put it. She only did it when she absolutely had to, and this was definitely one of those times.

Ginny talked about Harry mostly, and their relationship. She was excited to tell Hermione that they had gone all the way, which was not something she wanted to know. But, Ginny was obviously in love, and she wouldn't be the one to bring her down. She loved seeing her happy, especially after watching her go through so many breakups in the past. Harry and Ginny were meant for each other, and that was a fact. The girls bid their goodbyes, and Hermione promised she would meet her at King's Cross on the 1st. Hermione headed back to her room smiling, happy that she had actually seen Ginny.

On her way up to her room, Hermione ran into someone, causing her to drop her pile of books. She apologized and bent down to pick them up.

"Oh no, it's my fault. Let me help you." They bent down and grabbed a book.

Hermione looked up to see who it was and was shocked. Draco Malfoy was helping her pick up her books. Surely he would stop when he realized who she was.

Draco looked up to see Hermione's big brown eyes staring at him. He smirked and laughed a little. "You okay, Granger?"

He knew it was her, and he hadn't kicked her books and walked away? Hermione just stared at him, waiting for him to do something dramatic and make her situation worse. Instead, he picked up the rest of the books and stood up. Hermione stood up with him and took the books. "I'm fine, thanks." She started to walk away, but was stopped by his his hand on her arm. Was he really touching a mudblood?

"Hey, actually I need to talk to you. I assume you're Head Girl this year, am I right?" He asked.

"And what's it to you, Malfoy?"

"Well, I'm just letting you know that I'm Head Boy this year, and I don't want there to be any trouble. You probably hate me, and it's just as well, but we do need to set an example, so if we could just set aside our differences for a year? You leave me alone, I'll leave you alone. Deal?" He had a smirk on his face, knowing that she would be pissed of about having to stare a dorm with _him_ of all people.

Hermione was shocked. How could McGonagall choose him? He was a death eater, for crying out loud! "So, you mean to tell me that McGonagall chose _you_ as Head Boy? I thought you would have stayed as far away from Hogwarts as possible, considering what happened."

Draco felt a pang of guilt when Hermione brought up the war. He hated what he had done. His coward of a father had made him join the death eaters, and Draco was too scared to stand up to him. Now that Voldemort was gone, he had finally put his foot down. He was no longer the Lucius's puppet. He had stood up to his father and decided that he wanted to finish his education. He wanted to prove to the wizarding world that he was a better man than that. McGonagall had accepted his apology and offered him the position of Head Boy in hopes that it would promote house unity. "Well, I guess you're wrong for once. I'll see you on the train, Granger. You know, since we have to ride together." He smirked and walked away.

Hermione was fuming. After all her hard work in school, she got stuck spending an entire school year with her biggest enemy. She hated Malfoy. That was all there was to it. She stormed off to her room and threw her books down. She was going to have to talk to McGonagall about this. There was no way she was going to spend a whole entire year with him.

The next day went by quickly, and before she knew it, it was time to go to the train station. Hermione already had all of her stuff packed, but she did a quick once over of the room to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything. She made the bed and went downstairs to pay for her room. Tom insisted that it was on the house. He wouldn't let her pay at all. She felt guilty, but there was no winning this argument. She thanked him for everything one more time and walked out the door. Thankfully, King's Cross wasn't too far, so she decided to walk.

Once on Platform 9 ¾, she saw the Weasleys. She walked over and, of course, was pulled into a big hug from Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh, Hermione, I've missed you my dear. Where are your parents?" She looked around, not seeing the Grangers anywhere.

"Oh, they're really busy this week. They send their love though." Hermione had pulled off another lie, and turned to hug Harry and Ron. It was so surreal, leaving them here while she was off to school. The group stood and chatted for a few minutes before the train blew its whistle. It was time to go. Hermione hugged her friends with tears in her eyes. She watched Ginny and Harry hug and kiss like it was the last time they would see each other. Ron just groaned and looked away. Hermione laughed at him and gave him one more hug.

"Promise you'll write? I know we haven't talked much this summer, but I really am sorry things didn't work out between us," Ron said, his hand still on her shoulder.

"I know, Ron. You're still my best friend. And of course I'll write. Aren't I supposed to be asking you that?" They both laughed and Hermione and Ginny boarded the train.

Hermione went towards the front of the train to the Head's compartment, while Ginny found a compartment with Neville and Luna. When Hermione opened the door, Draco was already seated, his feet resting on the seat across from him. Hermione sat on the opposite end of the compartment across from him and pulled out her iPod. She was so glad that she could have her few muggle luxuries at Hogwarts now. She turned up the music all the way and pulled out a muggle novel she had read a million times.

Draco watched Hermione read her book. He wondered what that thing in her lap was. "Hey, Granger, what's that?" She didn't look up from her book. He said it again a little louder, again with no response. He got annoyed and got up and grabbed it.

"Malfoy, give that back, now." It was only 10 minutes into the ride and Malfoy was already bugging her.

"I will when you tell me what it is. I already asked you twice, now what is it?" He was turning it over in his hands, amazed that when he touched the screen it would move. This was definitely some muggle contraption.

"Well sorry," she said sarcastically. "It's called an iPod. It plays music, among other things. Now can I have it back? You said you wouldn't bug me this year." She had her hand out.

He gave it back to her. "I never said I couldn't ask you questions. And what kind of a name is 'eye pod'? Sounds dumb." He knew that would get her angry. For some reason, he loved arguing with her. She got so defensive, and it was really pretty cute. No, he couldn't think like that. This was Hermione Granger, for crying out loud. She was the furthest thing from cute. Or so he kept telling himself.

Hermione just sighed. "It's i-Pod, not eye pod. And I'd appreciate it if you just left me alone. I'm really not in the mood."

"Fine, have it your way." Draco leaned back in his seat and propped his feet back up. He put his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.

Hermione turned her music back on and turned back to her book, but she couldn't concentrate at all. She kept thinking about that dream she had had the other night. She remembered the blonde haired man who helped her up. He felt like he was her guardian angel, there to protect her from anything. She looked over to Draco, then back down at her book. She shook her head. There was no way it was him.

McGonagall came in about a half hour later to go over their duties and give them their class schedules. Of course, she put them in all the same classes. Hermione was so annoyed, but didn't say anything. McGonagall turned to Hermione, and could tell she wasn't happy about the situation. "I know this isn't what you expected this year, but I think it's for the best. I stand by my decision, and I really hope you two can work things out. You are the two brightest students in Hogwarts, and despite your differences, I know you can work together." She stood up to leave. "I'll see you two at school." And with that, she left.

Draco turned to Hermione, who was clearly pissed off. "Oh come on, it can't be that bad. I don't bite...hard." He smirked.

"Oh shut it, Malfoy." She threw her schedule down on the seat next to her and crossed her arms. Draco couldn't believe how much her breasts had grown without him noticing. She really had grown up in the past few years. Ugh, he really had to stop thinking about her like that.

"You know, I'm not the same person I was a year ago. I've changed." He really had. He no longer felt so prejudiced towards muggle borns and half bloods. He realized that his father was the only reason he thought that way, and he was tired of it.

"Yeah, sure. And I'm sure you're just so excited to spend a year with someone like me." Hermione felt her face getting red with anger as she thought about the names he had called her in the past. Hermione put her headphones back in and blasted her music. She was obviously done talking. Draco just sighed and looked out the window. It was going to be a long year.

**Author's note: Okay guys what do you think? This is my first fanfic ever, so I'm sorry if it's trash. I've been thinking about this story for a while now, and finally got to confidence to post it. I hope you guys like it. Thanks! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Harry Potter.**

The train halted to a jerking stop about 2 hours later. The ride was torture for both of them. Hermione listened to as many loud, angry rock songs as she had on her iPod. Draco could hear the beats and screams blaring from the mysterious ear buds tucked under Hermione's hair. About 20 minutes before they reached the station, Draco stood up to change. He reached up to the shelf above Hermione to grab his robes. Hermione closed her eyes, annoyed, but couldn't help breathing in his intoxicating scent. She knew he was doing this on purpose, because he was taking longer than he needed to, or so it felt like it to her.

Draco pulled his white button-up shirt over the black, long sleeved t-shirt he was already wearing. He tied the green and silver tie quickly, as he had done countless times before. He admired his reflection in the dark window to his left, smirking a little when he noticed Hermione's eyes on him. He turned around quickly as she stood up to grab her robes. "I do look damn good, don't I, Granger?"

Hermione blushed. He had noticed her staring. _Come on, Hermione. What are you doing? You're being so stupid. You have to stop staring at him, no matter how hot he looks...NO! Stop it! _Hermione silently cursed herself. "I don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy. All I see is an arrogant ferret." She slipped her shirt on. Then it hit her. How was she going to change into her skirt with him there? Harry and Ron had always left while she and Ginny changed.

Draco had already wondered the same thing. He sure as hell wasn't going to leave, and he knew there wasn't anywhere else for her to go. He sat down, propping his legs up and leaning back in his seat with his legendary smirk on his face.

"Get out so I can change," said Hermione, with one hand on her hip.

"Nah, I'm quite comfortable. Why not go change in the hall? I'm sure McLaggen wouldn't mind helping you into your skirt."

"Ugh, you're so thick, Malfoy. Please, just get out for two minutes." She was getting really annoyed now.

"Nope. I'll close my eyes. That's the most I'll do." He just stared at her smirking.

"Fine. Close 'em. And don't open them until I say so." She pulled the curtain on the door down. "And I swear on my life, if I catch you looking, I promise, I will hex you into oblivion. Got it?"

"Okay, fine." Draco closed his eyes.

Hermione watched him for a few seconds, making sure he would keep his promise. When she was sure he wasn't going to peek, she unzipped her jeans. She cursed herself for wearing a thong that day. She couldn't believe she didn't think about this before. She pulled the denim down from her waist, her eyes on his the whole time. When they were down around her ankles, she stepped out of them, not bothering to pick them up yet. She grabbed her skirt.

"Are you done yet?" Draco wanted nothing more than to open his eyes.

"No, hold on." Hermione stepped into the skirt and pulled it up quickly. But it didn't come up. She felt herself falling. She had stepped on it. She went down, and of course, it was into him. Draco's eyes shot open when he felt the weight of Hermione on his chest. His hands quickly grabbed her waist, the thin fabric of her shirt the only barrier between their skin. He felt himself getting hard when he noticed the the red, lacy fabric just a few inches lower.

Hermione quickly jumped up. "Close your eyes!" She tried to cover her legs, but the attempt was futile. Draco's eyes were locked on her thin, pale legs. He wanted nothing more than to push her down on the seat and take her. He had never wanted another woman as much as he did her right now. Before he could let his mind wander too far, Hermione's skirt was pulled up, covering her beautiful legs and the one thing Draco wanted most. He blinked quickly, trying to push his thoughts out of his head.

Hermione was so embarrassed. She couldn't believe she had let Malfoy see her half naked! She pulled her school robe on over her clothes as soon as she had her tie on, so as not to let any skin show. She packed her jeans into her bag and sat down, her face as red as her robes for the rest of the ride.

As soon as the train stopped, she jumped up and grabbed her bag. Draco stood up slowly, stretching his sore muscles from the long ride. He was ready to meet up with Blaise. He knew he would keep his mind off of the awkward ride he had just had.

Hermione opened the door and walked out quickly, headed for anywhere Malfoy wasn't. She saw Ginny standing on the platform waiting for her, and walked over. "How was your ride? I heard Malfoy's head boy this year," said Ginny.

"Let's not talk about him." Hermione was so mad that Ginny brought him up, but she knew it was going to happen sooner or later. "Come on, let's go."

The girls made their way to the carriages and got one with Neville and Luna. She caught up with the now couple. Neville and Lune never let go of each others' hands. Hermione watched them, almost jealous of the happy couple. Her mind started drifting to how lonely she felt now, but the chatter between the other three pushed it out of her head.

They finally arrived at the school. The sorting ceremony and dinner went by quickly. After dessert, Professor McGonagall dismissed the students to bed, only asking Hermione and Draco to stay behind for their password. The two walked from the Great Hall together, Hermione walking slightly faster than Draco.

"What's the rush, Granger?" Draco asked.

Hermione ignored his question and turned down the corridor leading to the large painting of the four founders. They all gave their greetings to the new Head Boy and Girl, Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin both wishing them luck and telling them both how proud they are to have them in their houses. Hermione blushed and thanked them, then said the password, causing the painting to swing open.

"Ladies first," Draco extended his arm to let Hermione step in first.

The two were taken aback when they walked into the common room. The black couches were accented with red and green pillows, just like everything else. The décor took Hermione's breath away. But nothing was as spectacular as the black grand piano in the corner of the room. She walked over, gently gliding her fingers across the smooth glossy surface. She had never played on such a beautiful instrument. She only wished that it was in her room, and not out here. She always hated playing in front of other people.

Draco watched her, wondering why she was so drawn to the piano. He had been forced to learn it as a kid, but always hated it, because it was just another thing for his father to harass him about. He watched her frail fingers softly touch the sparkling white keys, as though she was silently playing. He wanted so badly to hear her play.

Hermione looked up out the window next to her. She had tears in her eyes, thinking about her father. He had always helped her practice, and even taught her how to sing along without missing a beat. The thought of him, now...she couldn't think about it now. Malfoy couldn't see her cry. She blinked away the tears and stood up from the bench. Without looking at him, she walked up the small flight of stairs and shut her door.

Draco didn't know what happened, but he could tell she was upset. He wanted to go comfort her, but decided to just go to his room instead. When he opened the door, he was greeted to a large room with a gigantic bed. It had black silk sheets and a forest green comforter. The black oak bed posts rose half way up to the ceiling. The room was colder than he liked, but the large fireplace would make up for it. His trunk was placed at the foot of his bed, already unpacked.

Hermione's room was much like Draco's, except everything had the markings of Gryffindor. The red sheets complimented her gold comforter extremely well, and instead of black oak, all of the furniture was cherry wood. She waved her wand, starting a small fire in the fireplace. She was ready to crawl into bed. She walked over to the door to the bathroom.

Draco was brushing his teeth, wearing only a pair of black pajama pants when he heard the door on the other end of the bathroom open. Hermione walked in, holding a pair of pajamas and a towel.

"Are you serious? We only have one bathroom?" Hermione asked.

Draco spit out the excess toothpaste in his mouth. "Yeah, I thought you knew that already?"

"No, I most certainly did not know. And I need to take a shower, so can you hurry up?"

"Damn, Miss Bossy today, aren't we? Just chill, I'm almost done," Draco said, then turned to rinse his mouth out.

Hermione tried her hardest not to look at him, but she couldn't resist. She stared at him with his toned muscles. She realized that she had never seen his arms before. She was still admiring his body when she noticed it; the unmistakable black tattoo on his left forearm. She gasped, which grabbed his attention. He tucked his arm in to hide it and turned to the door. "Alright, Granger, all yours." He walked out and shut the door. Hermione just stood there in disbelief.

Draco silently cursed himself once he was alone. He had been so used to not having to cover it up that he forgot to wear a shirt. He knew how uncomfortable it made people, and he hated everything about it. After the fall of Voldemort, he tried everything he could to get rid of it, but no magic he tried would work. He considered going to a muggle tattoo shop, but had heard stories of others who had tried that. The second the needle touched the black skin, not only did they feel the most excruciating pain, but the muggle tattoo artist felt it too. Draco decided that it was something that he was going to have to live the rest of his life with, but he was going to prove to the world that the mark didn't define him.

Hermione walked over and locked the door to Draco's room, then started her shower. She hoped that a shower would clear her mind, but it only made her think more. She kept seeing the Dark Mark, and how Draco tried to hide it from her. She wondered if he was ashamed of it and maybe he really had changed. She could only hope. She turned the knob, making the water hotter. The shower at The Leaky Cauldron didn't have very good water pressure, and never got warm enough for her liking. She stood under the faucet letting the water run down her chest and stomach, then turned around. All of a sudden, the hot water hit it. She let out a small scream when the water hit the scar. She jumped out of the way, grabbing her back. She felt the tears forming in her eyes and she knew she was going to break down.

She knelt to the floor and put her head in her hands. The water hit her back and the scar, but she couldn't move. She had never cried so hard in her life. She hoped the shower was loud enough that Draco wouldn't hear her. She thought of her dad. The pain he had inflicted on her was worse than any Cruciatus Curse anyone could have thrown at her. The pain he caused her was not only physical, but emotional too. He made sure to tell her every day that she wasn't normal, that she would never be accepted. She was scared that he would turn his anger onto her mother. She imagined her dad smacking her mom and almost screamed in anger. She should have gotten her out of there when she had the chance. She shouldn't have left her there alone with him.

She could finally stand up, although she felt like her legs could give out at any second. She stepped out of the shower, dried off, and put on her pajamas. After brushing her teeth, she made sure to unlock Draco's door, then went back to her room. She climbed into her bed, although she knew she wouldn't fall asleep soon. When she closed her eyes, she only saw the image of her father standing over her. After about an hour of closing her eyes, then reopening them, she drifted off to sleep. She woke up every hour or so throughout the night, seeing the blonde man in her dream right before she opened her eyes.

Hermione was up early for her classes, as she was every day. Their first class wasn't until 9, but she was sitting on the couch reading her Charms book and nibbling on a bagel at 7:30. Draco walked out at 8:15, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He was still in his pajamas, only he had put a long sleeved shirt on now. He noticed Hermione, fully dressed and already studying and smirked. He walked over to the kitchenette and grabbed an apple out of the bowl on the table.

"You should probably get dressed, we have class in 45 minutes," Hermione said, not looking up from her book.

"Yeah, just enough time to shower, get dressed, pack my bag, _and_ eat my apple. What do we have first today?" Draco asked, to which Hermione finally looked up.

She couldn't believe how perfect he looked, and he had just woken up! How could he look so good all of the time? She shook the thought away and told him it was Charms. "You should really look over your schedule. I'm not going to be your personal planner this year." She went back to reading and he just shook his head, chuckling to himself and taking a bite out of the green apple. He walked back into his room.

At 8:50, Hermione was getting impatient, and Draco finally walked out of his bedroom. They walked together to their first class, getting there with only 2 minutes to spare. Hermione told him that if he wasn't ready by 8:45 from now on, she was leaving without him. Hermione grabbed an open seat in the front of the room while Draco took the one that Blaise had saved for him.

**Author's note: Okay guys, thanks so much for all of your support! Finally told my boyfriend about my writing (he really isn't much of a HP fan) and he loves it! I'll try to post a chapter every couple of days. I know it's kind of slow right now, but I promise, it will pick up.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Harry Potter.**

The next two weeks went by quickly. Both Hermione and Draco were swamped with homework and essays, distracting them from each other. Everyday after classes, Hermione would lock herself in her room with her books and her music, not surfacing again except for dinner or classes. Draco made the common room his own personal study space, but he didn't spend nearly as much time studying as Hermione. He mostly spent his free time in the Slytherin common room with Blaise.

Hermione walked out of her room one night around 8, feeling as though, for the first time in her life, she didn't want to study anymore. It was a Saturday night and Draco was nowhere to be found. She knew it was past dinner, and so she decided to lounge in the common room. She plopped down on the big, black couch and pulled out her iPod. She sat there listening to a few songs, and then all of a sudden felt the urge to play.

She stood up and walked over to the grand piano in the corner. Malfoy was gone, so she had nothing to worry about. She sat down and gently pushed down a few of the keys. It sounded like no other piano she had ever played before. Note after note, she fell more and more in love with this instrument. Slowly she began to play the melody she had been playing a few weeks before. She started to sing softly.

_Skies are crying  
>I am watching<br>Catching teardrops in my hands  
>Only silence as it's ending, like we never had a chance<br>Do you have to, make me feel like there is nothing left of me?_

_You can take everything I have  
>You can break everything I am<br>Like i'm made of glass  
>Like i'm made of paper<br>Go on and try to tear me down  
>I will be rising from the ground<br>Like a skyscraper!  
>Like a skyscraper!<em>

_As the smoke clears  
>I awaken, and untangle you from me<br>Would it make you, feel better to watch me while I bleed?  
>All my windows, still are broken<br>But I'm standing on my feet_

_You can take everything I have  
>You can break everything I am<em>

_Like I'm made of glass  
>Like I'm made of paper<br>Go on and try to tear me down  
>I will be rising from the ground<br>Like a skyscraper!  
>Like a skyscraper!<em>

_Go run, run, run  
>I'm gonna stay right here<br>Watch you disappear, yeah  
>Go run, run, run<br>Yeah it's a long way down  
>But I am closer to the clouds up here<em>

_You can take everything I have  
>You can break everything I am<br>Like I'm made of glass  
>Like I'm made of paper, Oh<br>Go on and try to tear me down  
>I will be rising from the ground<em>

_Like a skyscraper!  
>Like a skyscraper!<br>Like a skyscraper!  
>Like a skyscraper!<em>

Draco walked into the common room after a night of wizard's chess and firewhiskey with Blaise to hear music. He walked in slowly, knowing Hermione was playing, and he didn't want to make her stop. It was beautiful. He had never heard music so beautiful in his life. It was so filled with emotion and he never wanted it to stop. He stood around the corner behind the wall, hoping that she hadn't heard him close the door. He peaked around the corner as the music ended and was amazed at what he saw.

Hermione had just sang her heart out. As she ended the last note she realized tears were streaming down her cheeks. She closed her eyes and dropped her head into her hands. She collapsed onto the keys which responded in a loud jumble of notes. She cried harder than she had ever cried in her life. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" She was screaming, screaming at her father. She wished she could tell him how much he hurt her.

The next thing she knew she felt a warm arm wrap around her. Out of instinct she flinched away and let out a little scream. She opened her eyes and looked up to see a blonde haired man holding her. She pushed him off of her. "Malfoy? What are you doing?"

Draco didn't know what to do when she broke down. He stood there for a minute watching her, but before he knew it he was sitting next to her, holding her. He couldn't stand the sound of her cries. All he wanted to do was calm her down. He had no idea why she was so upset. "Granger, what's wrong? What happened?" He tried to get her to look at him.

Hermione stood up and wiped her eyes. She couldn't believe he had snuck up on her like that. She started to walk to her room, but he grabbed her wrist. She tried to jerk him away, but he was much stronger than her. "Malfoy, let me go." She could feel herself breaking down again, and she wasn't going to do it in front of him again.

Draco looked into her big brown eyes, filled with tears and pain. He didn't know why he wanted to help her, but he did. She kept trying to pull her hand away from his, and finally he let go. He realized that whatever she was upset about, she wasn't going to tell him. He watched as she practically ran into her room and slammed the door. He could hear her crying for a few seconds, but then silence, and he knew she had cast a silencing charm on the room. He sat down on the couch in front of the fire and put his head back. _Come on man, just leave her alone. What do her problems have to do with you? _He closed his eyes, but knew he wasn't going to fall asleep, and thought.

Hermione collapsed onto her bed and just cried. She was so embarrassed that Malfoy had seen her cry, and she had no idea how long he was in the room while she was singing. She began to think about all the times her dad had hit her and made her feel unwanted. She felt like she wasn't normal in the wizarding world or in the muggle world. She had never felt this alone.

And why was Malfoy trying to comfort her? He was normally the person who upset her and made her feel unwanted. Why was he acting so nice to her lately? Had he really changed?

Hermione stood up from her bed an hour later. She walked out into the common room to find Draco on the couch. She almost went back into her room, but instead walked over and sat down on the opposite end as him. He opened his eyes and looked over at her. He didn't say anything, which made Hermione feel better. "I'm sorry about..earlier." She spoke in a soft, raspy voice. She was looking down at her hands, which were fidgeting with each other.

"Don't apologize. I probably scared you." Draco said, not taking his eyes off of her. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun with a few strands of curls hanging down around her face and she wasn't wearing any make up, which made her eyes look even more red and puffy. She looked like a mess, but he couldn't help but think that she was beautiful. _Damn it, man, don't think that._

Hermione knew what she wanted to say, but didn't know quite how to say it. She looked up at him. His grey eyes locked on hers, and she felt like she could see his soul. She knew he had been through so much, just as she had. She looked back down at her lap and inhaled. She began to speak slowly and quietly, "I know you think you know me, but you really don't. I need to tell someone about this, and I know you're not exactly my closest friend..well, we're not friends at all...but I feel like you're the only person I know that would understand." She looked back up at him.

Draco was taken aback by her. He couldn't possibly think of anything they had in common, and there was no way she could feel anything he has felt, but he didn't tell her that. He just stayed quiet and let her go on.

"God, I don't even know where to start." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, knowing that if she kept them open she would start to cry. "Um..you know what, nevermind." She couldn't do it. He wouldn't care, and she had no idea what she was trying to say. She stood up to go back to her room.

"Hermione, tell me." She stopped, her back facing him. She had goosebumps all over her body. She had never heard him call her by her first name, and when she heard it it felt like electricity ran through her whole body. She turned around slowly and sat down. Draco moved closer to her, trying to comfort her.

"I...I...oh God, Malfoy, I can't believe how lost I feel. It's just..after the war I went back to my parents to restore their memories because I wiped them when I left last year and, well, my mom took everything okay, but my dad not so much. He completely lost it." She was rambling on, but Draco didn't stop her. He was hanging onto every word that came out of her mouth. "He...he changed..." She could feel the tears that were building up in her eyes break through their invisible barrier and roll down her red cheeks. She stopped talking as she pictured her dad standing over her.

Draco could tell what was coming next, and pulled her into a hug. At first, she tried to move away from him, but his strong arms were like a castle around her tiny body, and she felt safe for the first time in months. She could smell the cologne on his black button down shirt and it made gave her butterflies. She ignored the fact that they were mortal enemies and relaxed in his arms. Finally, Draco spoke, breaking the silence. "Hermione, did he hurt you?" There was that shock again. She hesitated, then nodded her head slowly. She couldn't hold it back, she had to let it out.

Draco could feel her tense up, and he knew that she had been through something traumatic. He still couldn't believe that she had come to him about this. Did she know what his father would do to him as a boy? He couldn't imagine how she would know, but then again, she was the brightest witch of their age, maybe she could tell.

"I know what you're going through. I've been there before." Draco rubbed her back lightly, hoping it would help calm her down. He then pulled back from the embrace and looked her in the eyes. "Every summer when I would go home my father would be waiting for me in his study. He would have my grades on his desk with his chair turned away from me. He would yell at me, scream at me, even, because I wasn't the top of our class, I was second." Hermione knew who he was second to, even through he didn't say it. "He would stand over me, lecturing me on how a true Malfoy wouldn't disappoint his family like this." He paused for a moment, then took a deep breath. "I knew what the Cruciatus Curse felt like before I even knew what it was." He looked down at his lap, then back up at her. "Hermione, I know how strong you are. But I also know how hard it is to stay strong with an abusive father. I spent 18 years getting beat up by the man who I was supposed to look up to."

Hermione stared at him in shock. She knew his father had abused him, but the Cruciatus Curse? "Malfoy, you don't know what it's like to be an outcast in two worlds." This was the thought that had been lingering on her mind for months. "I grew up being told I was lower than everyone else because I was muggle born, but then my own father made it a point to tell me I was unwanted every single day."

Draco instantly felt the guilt of calling her names for the past seven years. He only called her those things because of his father. "Hermione, you're not lower than anybody. Whether someone is muggle born or pureblood, it makes no difference. You are the smartest witch I have ever met, and you just won a war that was started because of some stupid belief that purebloods were for some reason better than muggle borns. Well it's not true. There is no reason that you should feel unwanted in this world or the muggle world. From what I've heard, you're pretty smart in their world too." Hermione couldn't believe that Draco Malfoy was telling her he wasn't prejudice.

"Hermione, I was listening to you sing earlier." Hermione started blushing, and was starting to get mad. Draco noticed this. "And it was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. I have never been so entranced by a song in my life. I think that you meant every word you sang. You are strong, strong enough to overcome him. You will stand tall. Don't let him bring you down. You are like a skyscraper."

Hermione was in total shock at this point. Had he really just called her music beautiful? "Malfoy, I-" Draco stopped her.

"Hermione, please, call me by my first name."

She hesitated for a moment. "Okay...Draco..." She felt a chill run down her spine as his name left her lips. Draco could feel warmth coursing through his body. "Thank you for listening to me. I really means a lot." She placed her hand on top of his and squeezed it a little. She looked into his grey eyes and immediately felt at peace.

When Draco felt Hermione's warm hand on his, he wanted nothing more than to kiss her. He stared into her eyes and wondered if she felt it too. They gazed into each others eyes for a moment longer, until finally Draco couldn't stand it any longer. He lifted his left hand and pushed a stray curl behind her ear. His hand stayed resting behind her ear as he slowly moved his face closer to hers. He didn't feel her try to move away, so he locked his lips on hers.

Hermione knew what he was trying to do, but despite her better judgment, she didn't try to stop him. When he lips touched hers she felt the same shock as when he spoke her name, only magnified. His kiss was soft and not forceful. She tilted her head to her right into his hand and deepened the kiss. She felt his lips part and his tongue slowly ran along her lips. She parted her lips and his tongue entered her mouth, gliding across hers as though it had done it a thousand times before. His tongue explored her mouth as she pulled herself closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He gently pulled her into his lap, her legs straddling him.

Hermione knew what she was doing was wrong, but it felt so right. She wanted nothing more than to feel his hands on her body. She had never been touched like this by anybody other than Ron, and she had never felt so comfortable with him. Ron hadn't gotten too far with Hermione. She always stopped it before it got too serious. But with Draco, she wanted to keep going. She ran her fingers through his silky blonde hair as they kissed with more passion than either of them had ever experienced.

Draco moved his hands up the front of her baby blue tee shirt, although as much as he wanted to rip it off of her, he didn't. When he reached her breasts, he hesitated. He wasn't sure if she was comfortable with this. Hermione sensed this and pulled her lips away from his. She kissed a line from his lips to his neck and up to his ear. "Put your hands on me, Draco." She thought of the muggle movie The Titanic and realized how corny she sounded, but it did the trick. Draco's hands cupped her breasts, causing her to gasp. He lowered his head and kissed her neck.

Hermione moved her hands down the front of his shirt, unbuttoning one button at a time. She pulled herself away from him and admired his perfect body. She had been thinking about it ever since she saw him in the bathroom that night, and wanted nothing more than to run her hands all over it. She pushed his shirt down over his shoulders and then ran her fingers down the front of his body.

Her touch sent chills down Draco's spine, and he could feel himself hardening. He hadn't been with anyone in months, and he couldn't handle his dry spell much longer. He attacked her lips with his once more and grabbed her legs. He stood up from the couch and Hermione wrapped her legs around him. He started walking towards his room. "Hermione, I need you." He broke their kiss only to say those four words.

Hermione pulled away and spoke. "Draco, I've never done this before." Draco stopped walking but didn't let her down. He stared at her as she finished what she had to say. "I've never done this before, but I want you to be my first." He kissed her hard on her lips, pushing open the door to his room. He set her down on his bed and broke the kiss.

"Are you sure?" She nodded. He slipped his shirt off and pulled hers over her head. He looked down at her chest. She was wearing a simple white bra with lace across the top. He then undid his belt and pants, slipping them off, leaving him only in his black silk boxers, his cock hard and longing to be let loose. He then tugged at the waistband on her grey pajama pants. When he pulled them off, he was surprised by the lacy white thong she was wearing to match her bra. He was so turned on it almost hurt, and leaned down over her to a kiss.

Hermione's heart was beating faster and harder than it ever had before. She could see the the bulge in his boxers and she moved her hand down to touch it. She wrapped her fingers around his fabric covered manhood and he moaned softly into the kiss. She didn't really know what she was supposed to do, but this was definitely something good. Draco's hand moved to her breasts, pushing her bra out of the way to cup the bare skin. Hermione moaned and broke the kiss, tilting her head back as he played with her nipple. He wrapped his hands around her back and unclasped her bra, pulling it off so that he could see her. He looked down at her small, perky breasts, admiring how perfect they were. He leaned his head down and took one of her nipples into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it as he massaged her other breast. Hermione moaned softly. She had never felt pleasure like this, but she knew she didn't want him to stop.

Draco gave her other breast the same attention, then made his way down lower, leaving soft kisses all down her stomach. He moved his hand down to her panties and rubbed them lightly, feeling that she was already wet. He knew he was going to have to prepare her for sex, so he pulled the underwear off and spread her legs apart. Hermione hesitated a little, but then when Draco placed soft kisses along the inside of her thigh, she moved them apart. He kissed all the way up to her opening, which he then ran his tongue from the bottom to the top, gently licking her clit. Hermione let out a cry of pleasure and lifted her hips up. Draco just grinned and licked her clit, rubbing her opening with his middle finger. He slowly pushed it inside of her, trying not to hurt her. She was so tight. He started moving his finger in and out slowly, listening to her moans of pleasure, and when she started to move her hips in rhythm with his hand he slipped another finger in. After a few minutes, he couldn't take it anymore. He had to have her.

He pulled his fingers out slowly and put them in his mouth. Merlin, she tasted so good. He pulled his boxers down and positioned himself on top of her. She looked up at him, scared that he was going to hurt her. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I don't want to hurt you. If you feel any pain, tell me." He kissed her earlobe and pressed his cock against her pussy. He started to push it in slowly and felt her tense up immediately.

Hermione bit her lip. He was so big, she didn't think she was going to be able to handle him. She wrapped her arms around him, holding on to his shoulders. When he felt her relax he started to push in again. Hermione let out a sharp breath as she felt him break through. It was the most intense feeling she had ever experienced. There was a sharp pain, but almost immediately she felt pleasure. He had stopped, so she nodded for him to keep going. He began to push in farther, as he wasn't all the way inside of her.

Slowly, Draco started to move his hips back and forth. He couldn't believe how good she felt. He could tell that she was starting to enjoy it because she started to moan louder. He quickened his pace, but kept having to slow down when he would feel the urge to cum. He leaned his head down and kissed her neck. "Merlin, Hermione...I can't...ah, I'm gonna cum, I can't hold back anymore." He hated that he was going to cum so soon, but he couldn't hold on much longer, she felt too good. She moaned his name, which sent him over the edge. He cried out in pleasure as he released inside of her.

He tried to hold himself over her, but couldn't anymore. He pulled out of her and rolled onto the bed. He was so exhausted and his breathing was heavy. Hermione looked over at him and smiled. She wrapped her arm around his waist as he put his arm around her, pulling her close to him. She was breathing almost as heavily as he was.

"That was...wow." Hermione didn't even know what to say. He was everything she had ever imagined and more.

"Shh." Draco kissed the top of her head which was resting on his chest. "Go to sleep." They both closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep almost instantly.

Hermione dreamed of the blonde angel again, only he had a face this time. It was Draco, and she knew then and there that she had fallen for him.

**AN: Okay guys, hope you liked it! Please, review. I love reading them! Also, it gets me in the mood to write. **


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Sorry it's been a while since I updated. I've been busy with school and such. Finally got to sit down and let my creative juices flow! :p As always, please read and review. I love reading what you guys think. Anyways, here you go, hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter.**

Hermione awoke the next day under the weight of an arm. Her body was sore all over. She opened her eyes to see Draco fast asleep next to her. His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her close. She remembered what happened the night before and felt her whole body blush.

She played out the whole event in her head and couldn't help but smile. She couldn't believe that she had lost her virginity to Draco Malfoy, but the more she thought about it, she realized that she couldn't think of anyone she would rather lost it to.

Draco seemed to have become an entirely different person last night. Instead of calling her hurtful names he called her smart and strong. He opened up to her about very personal things, just as she had done to him. Draco Malfoy was not the stuck up brat he used to be; he was a human being, capable of not only receiving, but also giving love.

Hermione watched him as he slept. His mouth was slightly parted and his face was totally relaxed, making him look like an angel. He was Hermione's angel. His hair was tousled and messy. Hermione reached her hand up and pushed a lock of his blonde hair away from his eye, causing him to stir and mumble.

Draco felt someone mess with his hair as he was waking up from the best dream ever. He dreamed of long brown curls and chocolate eyes. When he opened his eyes to see Hermione smiling up at him he realized that it wasn't a dream. He smiled back at her and pulled her closer. He kissed the top of her messy hair. "Good morning." His voice was groggy from sleep.

Hermione was surprised that he didn't push her out of his bed, but was thankful that he hadn't. "Good morning, Draco."

"What time is it?" Neither of them had watches, but judging by the light shining through the window, it was late morning.

"I'm not sure, but I really need to use the bathroom." Hermione went to get out of bed but remembered that she was naked. She didn't want him to see her naked body and especially didn't want him to see the scar on her back. She sat up, quickly pulling one of the sheets around her body, and headed towards the bathroom door.

"Oh come on, Hermione, you don't have to cover yourself. Or, perhaps, you have forgotten about last night?" He smirked at her, followed by a wink.

She just ignored him and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. The first thing she did was run into her room and grab her black, silk robe.

When she returned to Draco, he was still laying in his bed, the covers pulled only to his waist, and his arms folded behind his head. He was disappointed to see her body covered, but couldn't help thinking about how sexy she looked in the black robe.

"It's already 12 o'clock. I haven't slept in past 9 in I don't even know how long." She climbed back onto the bed. Draco took her back into his arms, taking her by surprise. "You know, this is all really weird. I mean, only last night we were enemies, and now...this."

"Speak for yourself," said Draco. "I never admitted it, but I've always had a thing for bookworms like you."

Hermione blushed. "So, you're saying you've had a crush on me?"

"Well, let me put it this way. When I saw you walk into the Great Hall with Krum at the Yule Ball I wanted so bad to steal you away from him. I wanted you all to myself. You were so beautiful that night. Ever since, I've never been able to look at you the same. You weren't the geeky little girl I hated, you were the beautiful woman who I was supposed to hate, but couldn't."

Hermione could feel tears coming forming in her eyes and felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest. Nobody had ever said anything like that to her. "Then why were you so mean to me all those years?"

Draco wiped a tear away from the corner of her eye. "I had to. I had to keep up the image my father was forcing upon me. I hated myself every time I said something to you. I know my words hurt you, and every time I wanted to take them back. I'm so sorry for everything I have ever done to hurt you, Hermione. And I will do everything I can to make it up to you."

Hermione was all out crying now. She had no idea what to say. The boy who had bullied her all throughout their school years had not only apologized to her, but confessed his real feelings for her. She didn't know what else to do, so she kissed him. She could tell that he really meant what he said. She knew then and there that she was in love with him.

Draco kissed her back, his heart racing. He had never felt this way for anyone else, and she was the only girl he wanted. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, fearing that if he let go he would lose her. He moved his down her back and then around to her front to push her robe off her shoulder.

Hermione broke the kiss when she realized what he was doing. She wanted it too, but she was too sore and she knew her body wouldn't be able to handle it again so soon. "Draco, I don't think I can right now."

Draco nodded, he understood. He kissed her forehead and got out of bed. Hermione watched him get dressed. He slipped on a pair of black athletic pants and a long sleeved black tee shirt. Even though she had seen the mark, he still felt he needed to hide it. He wasn't comfortable with it still.

Hermione got out of the bed and fixed her robe. She felt extremely under dressed compared to him. He walked over and took her hand and squeezed it a little. She smiled up at him and got up on her tippy toes to give him a kiss. Draco wrapped his arm around her back in one swift move and pulled her closer. He suddenly pulled away with a confused look on his face and Hermione knew exactly why.

Underneath the thin silky fabric Draco could feel something. It felt like a scar. He looked down at her with worried eyes, wondering if it happened in the war. She pulled away from him. "I'm gonna go take a shower." She started to walk towards the bathroom but was stopped by his hand around her wrist.

"How did it happen?" He hadn't even seen it, but he knew it was a scar. He knew the feeling because he still had the ones on his chest from his sixth year from Potter. Hermione just looked down at her feet. She knew she wouldn't be able to hide it from him forever, and since they had talked last night she figured she might as well tell him now. Just get all the emotional and painful stuff out of the way.

She slowly pulled the rope apart on her robe and pulled it open, her back to him. She let it fall off her shoulders but stopped it just above the small of her back. She looked back at him. "You remember what I told you about my father?" Draco nodded. "Well..."

She didn't finish her sentence when she let the robe fall to the floor in a pile of black silk. She didn't look at Draco, instead she looked at the floor. She couldn't bare to see his face.

There it was, in all its unwanted glory; _**HAG. **_Draco just stared at the word that was branded into her back with his mouth open. Suddenly he felt a flash of anger surge through his body. He wanted to hurt, even kill the man that did this. A man couldn't do this to his own daughter. He reached his hand out and gently touched the scar on her delicate back. "Oh, Hermione.." He didn't know what to say to her.

Hermione felt tears invade her eyes and fall to the floor. She jumped slightly when he touched her, but his hand on her back almost calmed her down. She knelt down and picked up the robe and pulled it back around her. She wiped her tears away and turned around to look at Draco.

When he looked into her eyes he saw so much pain. He pulled her close to him, her head on his chest. He held her as she cried, much like he had only the night before. He ran his hand through her hair, trying to calm her down. "Shh, don't cry, love. I'm here." He whispered soft comforting words to her.

She felt herself gaining control of herself again, but she didn't want to leave his embrace. His strong arms were like her castle. She had her arms wrapped around his waist and she held on tight. All of a sudden Draco started singing softly to her.

_"I will never let you fall,_

_ I'll stand up with you forever._

_ I'll be there for you through it all,_

_ Even if saving you sends me to heaven._

_ It's okay. It's okay. It's okay."_

Hermione looked up at him to see him smiling down at her. His voice was like milk chocolate, silky, smooth, and beautiful. She never would have imagined that he would have such a beautiful voice. She was kind of shocked that he would sing, especially to her. She also couldn't believe that he was singing a song that she knew, by a muggle band no less. "I love that song."

"Really? I was kind of hoping you knew it." His warm smile made her heart skip a beat. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. "I'll be your guardian angel, Hermione." He knew it was cheesy, but he didn't care. He meant it. He was going to protect her. He knew now that she meant more than him than he ever thought she could. She was too important to him to let her get hurt anymore.

Hermione laughed a little at him. "My guardian angel. That's fitting." She kissed him again and the dream she had popped into her head. That was it, Draco was the angel in her dream! She pulled away from the kiss and looked at him.

"What?" He was confused as to why she was just staring at him. He tried to kiss her but she turned her head.

"I had a dream. And you were in it..only I didn't know it was you until now."

Draco just looked at her.

"I was..I was running away from my father down this long hallway, and then you were there, only I couldn't see your face, and I fell to the floor. Then you helped me up, and I felt safe right away." The dream made so much sense to her now.

"Well, I will always protect you, love. You are so important to me..I..I love you," he said. His heart jumped at his words, but he knew he meant it. He looked into Hermione's eyes, waiting anxiously for her reply.

Her heart started beating faster than it already was, and she could feel her face getting red. Draco Malfoy just told Hermione Granger that he loved her. "Oh, Draco...I love you too." Her words were so soft he could barely hear them, but he did. He smiled bigger than he ever had before.

He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, trying not to smile but he couldn't help it. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up. "I want you to be all mine, Hermione. Always."

Hermione couldn't help but giggle and kiss him again. "So, we're a couple then?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"Definitely."

Hermione was so ecstatic. When Draco let her feet touch back down to the floor again she went to take a shower. Luckily, Draco obeyed her request of giving her time alone in the bathroom. After her shower she put on a pair of skinny jeans and her favorite Gryffindor, red and gold striped sweater. It hugged to her curves very well, but it was also thick and warm. She magically dried her hair and put on a little bit of natural looking make-up.

When she emerged from her room she saw Draco laying on the couch reading a book. "I'm hungry. I wonder if there's still any food in the Great Hall," she said, walking over to him.

He closed his book and sat up, letting her sit down next to him. "Probably, it's only 1. Want to go?" She nodded and they left.

They held hands all the way there, but Hermione stopped when she realized what they were doing. They were walking down a corridor almost to the Hall and she realized that he had no intention of letting go of her hand before they got there. "Draco, do you really think it's a good idea if we go in there holding hands?"

He turned to look at her. "Well, I don't really care what people think. I want to eat lunch with my girlfriend. I'm happy we're together, Hermione. Don't worry what everyone else thinks." He smiled at her.

"Okay then...where do we sit?"

"Well, that's up to you. I'm sure Weaselette will berate you with questions either way, might as well sit at your table so she doesn't have to walk over to us." He smirked at her, but Hermione wasn't pleased.

"Draco, she's my best friend. And her name is Ginny, not Weaselette. So please, be nice."

"Hey, I never said I wouldn't be nice. As long as she's nice to me." He smirked again. Hermione playfully hit his arm. "Okay, okay. Ginny it is. And I'll be nice, I promise."

"Good." She smiled and they continued walking. She was happy that they hadn't seen anyone on their way down, but she was so nervous about what she was walking into.

Finally they were at the double doors. Draco squeezed her hand and she took a deep breath. They walked in as though nothing was different. Then, almost instantly, every head was turned to them. The whole room fell silent as the two walked to the right to Gryffindor table. Hermione's face was beat red, but Draco had possibly the biggest smirk on his face that he ever had. They sat down at the table across from Ginny, whose mouth was wide open with a piece of toast in her hand. Hermione and Draco just looked at each other and smiled. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. The whole room erupted in conversation as the two laughed.

**AN: The song Draco sang was Your Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. It's one of my all time favorites, so yeah. Review! Review! Review! Thanks! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

Okay everyone, sorry it's been a while. I know this isn't another chapter, and I apologize. I have three things I want to say.

My computer decided to stop working about a week ago. I dunno, just decided to turn off and not turn back on. :( I'm pretty devastated by it.

Thank you all soooo much for all of the reviews and adds to your story/author alerts and favorites. I love all of you so much!

I'm not sure how to go on from here. I don't think I'm going to write anymore on Skyscraper, but I will probably write a sequel sometime in the future. In the mean time I'm going to be working on some oneshots and possibly another story. Unfortunately, though, they will all be in a notebook, a I don't get much time on a computer.

Sorry if I disappointed anyone, but I think this was the best way to end it. I do hope everyone enjoyed my story! And be on the look out for more from me in the future. Love you all!

-Breanna:)


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